Xander Charles!!

Alexander Charles Welch is here!! He was born on Saturday May 21st, 2011 at 3:01am weighing in at 7lbs 4oz and 19 1/2 inches long.

We went in to the hospital on Friday expecting to be induced and for everything to go smoothly, but God once again wanted us to make sure we knew HE was in charge of that, too. The induction started at 3pm and after a few hours of not really feeling much in the way of contractions at all the pitocin was turned up, but after 11 hours I was still at a 5 and the contractions were right on top of each other with out much of a break for me to catch my breath. And so I decided that I was ready for the dreaded epidural. For those of you that don't know, I am NOT a needle person. They frighten me. I am petrified of them. And all for no reason at all. I have always had kind dr.'s and have never had a problem at all. So the thought of having an epidural to me, was more frightening than having a baby without pain meds. That's how irrational this fear is. The anesthesiologist was called and came in and cleaned off a spot on my back to place the needle was reaching for the needle, and then ... Voila! Xander was ready to make an appearance and within 10 minutes he was here and in our arms! He objected to his new surroundings immediately and cried the whole time he was being examined, weighed and measured. We had no doubt of his strong lungs right from the start.

His first days home were very bumpy and we can say in all fairness that he had his days and nights mixed up. He did lose weight at first and through much weighing and reweighing discovered that he was just not getting enough at each feeding, so we decided to supplement with formula that in true Welch style we have termed his Weight Gainer 2000. He loves it and everyone loves to help out by feeding him and taking part in his gaining weight and getting stronger. There were shouts of joy and much rejoicing when he gained 6.6 oz overnight and everyone had been a part of it. God is good!! I have always been a breastfeeding only gal, but it seems that God is using my sweet boy to destroy that ridiculous soapbox. Who knew?! For truly what is more important, having a healthy and happy little boy or letting him die on my stupid soapbox? When Who is that one that sustains him? God alone! And truthfully, I was formula fed and Voila! Hows that for your paradigm of hope? LOL. Wow.

He is almost 2 1/2 weeks old and has been loved since day one :) Nolen loves to hold him and talk to him and he dearly loves listening to Nolen's voice. Emma will take him and sit with him in her room and just tend to his every need, she is such a wonderful helper!! Mia has asked at every moment to hold him and take care of him. Ty loves to give him hugs and talk to him, but is nervous of too much holding, since he is so small and squirmy :) Nadia treats him like one of her stuffed animals and will hold him for hours, get diapers, throw them away BUT her specialty is picking the morning outfit. She loves being Xanders fashion consultant.

Well, all to say he has been a cute and snuggly joy to us all and we are so thankful to God for this little blessing!!

Trust . . .

I just found this amazing poem, and it pretty much sums up what I have been thinking about lately... at least on an earthly level. If you're wondering where I am spiritually refer to Isaiah 50:4 :) because of-course God is GOOD and much bigger .

⁴The Lord GOD has given me

the tongue of those who are taught,

that I may know how to sustain with a word

him who is weary.

Morning by morning he awakens;

he awakens my ear

to hear as those who are taught.

Trust - a poem

Trust is a hard thing.

Trust is allowing someone else to do and be for you. Trust is giving away power and telling secrets and sharing things that you would never want anyone else to know.
Trust is using faith. Faith in another person's decisions, and choices, and knowledge.
Trust is when you know that the other person would do everything in their power for you if you needed them.
Trust is knowing that they will never let you down if they can help it.
Trust is not needing to speak, because the one you can rely on is there.

Trust is hard.

Trust requires being vulnerable.
Trust needs to be returned.
Trust cannot be fleeting.
Trust requires more than a passing glance.

Trust is hard.

Trust leans
Trust waits
Trust hopes

Trust is hard.

Trust is giving a piece of yourself to another knowing it will be safe
Trust is giving a piece of yourself to another not knowing if things will change

Trust is hard.

Sometimes, trusting means you will be disappointed and let down

Hearts and Mouths

The Heart and the Mouth.

The connection between these can be no more obvious than with children. They are living proof that what you love is what you talk about and they know it. As adults we can go on and on about something and in the end deny completely that we even like something remotely. Now how is that? Simply we deceive ourselves.

Who or what do you talk about? Are you telling your friends how much you love your husband and children? Are you consumed with the Word of God? Are you stuck in a rut because all you can think to talk about is Christ and his grace to you? Or do all of your friends know your hubby's dirty little secrets? Do they wonder when the last time you read your Bible is? But are afraid to ask? What would you say? Do they know that your children have embarrassing medical problems, but not that your son got all A honor roll or recited all 10 commandment from memory in front of your family JUST LAST NIGHT?!

I only ask because we can't allow ourselves to be taught by the world how to speak. When Christ spoke to his people he proclaimed truth followed closely behind by grace. And not in a Queen Latifa in your face way. The world tells us to say it like it is, but even then with 'tude.

When your children spill their juice at the table this is the best time to show them how their people react. How to brush your teeth, small circles at the gum line. How to react to spilled juice, calmly with grace and wet wash cloths.

Are you surprised when your children yell at each other if a Lego masterpiece is broken? Have you ever wondered how they could mimic you so well?

Shepherding our children takes patience, grace and more patience mixed with wisdom and bathed in prayer and intense Bible reading. The shepherd knows not only what his sheep need to survive, but also what they like. To they have a favorite type of grass or do you stand over them and tap your foot if they do not eat that patch RIGHT THERE!! Are you willing to carry the lambs if they get tired or do you make them walk till their feet bleed?

I am amazed at how a calm reaction easily defuses a potential catastrophe. One of our children was having a pillow fight with some friends and her earring fell out. She was on the last few weeks of her starter earrings so the reaction started out at a high pitch. My husband looked at me with the, "watch what you do here." look and after a deep breath I said," Oh! That's fine. You can borrow a pair of mine tonight and tomorrow I will go to the store and find a new special pair for you." This peaked her interest, and instantly threw 25 gallons of water on that spark that could have taken out a small village! She was happy the rest of the way home and the next day had even forgotten about the promised *new* earrings all together (I seriously could not believe it). What a blessing to be able to calm a little one down with my peaceful voice and easy words!

God is so good to put our children in our homes where we can tenderly care for them from the womb to young adulthood. There are so many among us that despise even that grace. I heard to day that it can get as high as 1 in every 4 women commits an abortion. I am so happy to have my little ones safely around me instead of in another home where even the chance or survival is nil. Whay does this say about what is in their hearts?